Soeharto noncommittal about his renomination

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto indicated yesterday his commitment to the constitution when he was requested to open an international historian conference in August next year.

The President chose to be noncommittal when senior historian Taufik Abdullah asked him to open the forthcoming international conference organized by the Association of Asian Historians here next year.

"Pak Harto answered my request by saying that it would depend on the next president," Taufik said after meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace.

The President will end his term in March next year. The People's Consultative Assembly will meet then to elect a president and vice president and endorse the State Policy Guidelines.

It has been a foregone conclusion, however, that Soeharto will be reelected, especially now that the dominant Golkar has announced its intention to renominate him. Soeharto, however, has never directly answered those who openly asked for his renomination.

The 76-year-old President has in the past referred to his old age, and, more recently, said he refused to become a cult figure. If reelected, Soeharto will lead the country for the seventh consecutive term.

In Golkar's ongoing leadership meeting, all chapter leaders from across the country declared their support for Soeharto's renomination.

"Golkar has no candidate other than President Soeharto," Fadel Muhammad, organizing committee chairman of the Golkar leadership meeting, said in a press conference yesterday.

Chairman Harmoko called on Golkar executives to make renomination a decree to be forwarded to the People's Consultative Assembly in its March meeting.

Fadel said yesterday none of the Golkar leaders mentioned vice presidential candidates. The organization will only name its candidate in consultation with the elected president in March.

Political observer of the Semarang-based Diponegoro University, Susilo Utomo, suggested yesterday that Golkar name its vice presidential candidates when it issues its political statement Sunday.

"It's public knowledge that Pak Harto will be reelected next March. What people are curious about is Golkar's candidates for vice presidency," Susilo said.

He said Golkar should not feel uncomfortable nominating candidates now, given the Assembly would make the final decision.

He also suggested that Golkar come up with more than one name.

"There are several eligible names, including State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, incumbent vice president Try Sutrisno, State Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung and Minister of Information R. Hartono," he said.

Democracy

Another Diponegoro University political observer, Soehardjo S.S., went a step further, suggesting that Golkar name more than one presidential candidate.

"If Golkar respects democracy, it should have the courage to declare other names besides Soeharto. Democracy requires alternatives," he said in Semarang.

In Yogyakarta, political observer Amien Rais of Gadjah Mada University said he was surprised to hear that Golkar would nominate Soeharto for the next presidential election.

"I was as shocked as if I heard a thunderbolt," he said.

He said there must be something wrong in the country's political affairs, as seen by Golkar's renomination of Soeharto, given that the President had just stated his refusal to be turned into a cult figure.

Also yesterday, the question of who would replace Harmoko rose at Golkar's ongoing leadership meeting. The dominant group is scheduled to hold its five-yearly national congress next year and to elect new leadership.

Fadel dismissed speculation that Harmoko would soon step down and that deputy chief Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana would replace him.

"That's not true. We'll decide this at the national congress next year," Fadel said. (imn/har/23/prb)